Exactly How Patreasha Threw Out Her Scale and Lost 8 Inches Off Her Waistline

In most before-and-after weight-loss photos, people will say how many pounds they lost or how many dress sizes they dropped. But fitness enthusiast Patreasha Black uses neither metric to talk about her transformation. With over 8,000 followers on Instagram, Patreasha inspires many people with her weight-loss story and the workout tips that have helped her in the past. Here's how she got herself fitter and healthier than ever.

"I went from fast-food 3 times a week, pasta 2 times a week and pizza once a week to lean meats, veggies and brown rice," she wrote in an Instagram post. "My body had no choice but to react." She also traded in the sodas and juices for "water, protein shakes, and smoothies."

Patreasha never really exercised before, but she started to run and do basic bodyweight exercises three to four times a week. "I went from staying up late snacking and watching Netflix to in the bed by 9 p.m.," she continued. "I went from skipping meals to eating 6 small meals every day."

Each of these lifestyle changes were "actually very simple," but when they were all put together, they made a world of difference. She saw some pretty significant changes in just the first 30 days of her self-created program. "However, you can't cut corners. You must stay committed, eliminate stress, be consistent, don't cheat, don't quit, and most importantly DON'T make excuses," she added. Feeling inspired yet? We sure are!

POPSUGAR caught up with Patreasha about her accomplishments, and she shared, "I have lost more than eight inches off my waistline." Wow, that's pretty impressive. "I find scales to be discouraging," she explained. "I celebrate nonscale victories." It's worked well for her so far.

"My diet is low in carbs and high in protein," she said. Patreasha didn't follow any fad diets, she didn't take any special supplements, and she didn't opt for any meal replacements. Her diet changes were simply focused on eating clean, whole foods that fueled her body and gave her energy. She admits this was a challenge at first. "I had to learn to stop allowing my taste buds to bully me into bad decisions," she said, but when she got a hold of her cravings, she saw amazing results.

As for advice to women who are also on a weight-loss journey, Patreasha said, "The diet, the trainer, and the program cannot and will not produce the results you are after until YOU become consistent." Stick to your guns and remember what your goals are. You'll see incredible results, just like Patreasha did!